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From: clewis@mnetor.UUCP (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Re: thriller?
Message-ID: <2769@mnetor.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Dec-85 10:53:40 EST
Article-I.D.: mnetor.2769
Posted: Tue Dec 10 10:53:40 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 10-Dec-85 12:19:14 EST
References: <6000011@convexs>
Reply-To: clewis@mnetor.UUCP (Chris Lewis)
Organization: Computer X (CANADA) Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lines: 52
Summary: 

In article <6000011@convexs> ahearn@convexs.UUCP writes:
>I should add that I've looked through the shelves of a few bookstores,
>trying to find what I'm after. Mostly, I keep getting directed to the
>Mystery section, to look through old Agatha Christie and Bond books.
>What I'm really looking for is the heavily political new-wave espionage
>superthriller, hopefully done in a craftsmanlike way. If you have _any_
>suggestions, let me know. 

My wife and I aren't usually into the standard super-spy books or movies
(Rhinemann Exchange?  Ostermann Weekend? I think they're Ludlums. etc.), 
but we do go into something very similar.

A couple of suggestions (these might not be quite your taste):
	- my wife and I eagerly await every new Clive Cussler book.
	  Eg: "Raise the Titanic!" (the movie was really bad)
	  They are a little hokey (the hero's name is "Dirk Pitt" for
	  g** sake) - but there's no accounting for *our* taste! :-)  
	  They are set in the 80's, but frequently have quite
	  a bit of historical detail (eg: the sinking of the CP Empress
	  of Ireland at the beginning of this century).  Cussler is a 
	  "techie", so expect somewhat more technology than usual - mostly
	  Oceanography.  The Russians usually get involved somewhere.

	Old standbys.  I think we have just about everything they've written,
	and that's quite a bit!.  They've pretty well kept up to the times.
	- Helen MacInnes
	- Alastair MacLean eg: Ice Station Zebra - movie was good too,
	  "Golden Gate", "Bear Island" (loved the scenery in the movie)
	  Lots of his books are set in WWII (eg: "Partisan", or
	  "Eye of the Needle" (a "can't put down")), or the 50's, 
	  or involve details from those periods ("Bear Island").
	Other good writers:
	- Colin Forbes eg: Avalanche Express, The Stone Leopard (something
	  wierd going on in the Elysee Palace).  His books tend to be
	  very intense.

	  If you want a first one to try, I'd suggest "Ice Station Zebra" or
	  one of Forbes'.
    
    A couple of specific books (can't remember the authors):
	- The Hamlet Warning (somebody wants to blow up the Aswan High dam)
	- The Prometheus Crisis (basis for the Jack Lemon Movie 
	  "China Syndrome")
	- The President's Plane is Missing

    Then there's always (but a little off topic):
	- Lucifer's Hammer (Pournelle and Niven)
	- The Mote in God's Eye (ditto I think)
-- 
Chris Lewis,
UUCP: {allegra, linus, ihnp4}!utzoo!mnetor!clewis
BELL: (416)-475-8980 ext. 321